UK adults cite lack of personal space and loud noises as their top gripes about shared public spaces
Four in ten (39%) UK adults cite a lack of personal space as their least favorite aspect of being in shared public spaces, such as airports or train stations, followed by one in three (32%) who cite loud noises.
- One in four (25%) cite navigating or finding their way as their biggest gripe.
- 14% dislike talking to strangers the most when in public spaces.
Wearing the right clothing is the secret to a comfortable travel experience, according to 66% of UK adults
Two in three (66%) say comfortable clothing is the key to a comfortable travel experience, ahead of entertainment (42%), snacks (36%), noise-cancelling headphones (29%), refillable water bottles (25%), or neck pillows (21%). While frequent flyers (5+ flights a year) also cite clothing as the leading factor of a comfortable flight (63%), they are more likely than infrequent flyers (1-2x a year) to take advantage of noise-cancelling headphones (40% vs. 28%) as part of their travel comfort.
Gen Z adults are equally likely to cite comfortable clothing (55%) or entertainment (56%) as their top travel hack for increasing travel comfort.
Flyers cite binge-watching TV/movies as their favorite indulgence
Among UK adults who travel by plane at least once a year, slightly less than half (46%) say their favorite indulgence when flying is binge-watching TV or movies on the plane.
- 34% cite eating whatever they want as their top indulgence, followed by 25% for guilty-pleasure reading, 21% for ordering alcohol whenever they want, and 20% splurging at airport shops.
- Women who fly are more likely than men to indulge in guilty-pleasure reading (31% vs. 20%) and splurging at the airport (28% vs. 12%), while men are more likely than women to enjoy binge-watching entertainment (48% vs. 42%) and ordering alcohol (23% vs. 18%).
Most UK adults prefer minimal interaction with seatmates when travelling
Nearly three in four (73%) UK adults say they prefer having a brief chat (44%) or a simple nod and smile (29%) when interacting with their seatmates during their travels: only one in ten (11%) prefer a full conversation, and 14% prefer no interaction at all.
- Younger travellers are more likely to want to avoid interactions: 19% of UK adults 18-34 say they prefer no interaction at all with their seatmate, compared to 13% of 35-64. 35% of adults 18-34 prefer a brief chat, compared to 44% of adults 35-64.
Most flyers prefer the window seat over the aisle seat, while almost none prefer the middle seat
Among UK adults that fly at least once a year, 63% prefer sitting in the window seat, compared with 34% who prefer sitting by the aisle. Only 2% prefer the middle seat.
Younger flyers are more likely to prefer the window seat than the aisle seat: three in four (75%) of flyers 18-34 prefer the window seat, compared to 62% of flyers 35-64, and 50% of flyers 65 or older.
- In comparison, 21% of flyers 18-34 prefer the aisle, compared to 35% of flyers 35-64, and 47% of those 65 or older.
Four in ten (38%) flyers never recline their seat when they traveling, with 68% feeling awkward reclining
Most flyers (68%) feel awkward when reclining their seats when flying, but four in ten (41%) still do so, with 35% believing that it is their right to recline when flying, and 6% reclining even if they believed it to be rude to other passengers. More than half, however, believe that reclining their seat in economy is rude and avoid doing so (57%).
Four in ten (38%) say they never recline their seats when flying, while half (47%) only do so on long or evening flights, and 14% recline each time they fly.
